Kenya gig workers face job losses as AI impacts essay writing industry

The proliferation of artificial intelligence is significantly impacting the gig economy in Kenya, particularly affecting workers in the academic essay writing industry. Previously, an estimated 40,000 educated but underemployed Kenyans earned a living by using gig platforms to write academic essays for Western university students.

Reports indicate that AI has decimated this profession, alongside other similar sectors such as transcription and translation services, which were already facing pressure from AI software prior to the rise of ChatGPT. While documentaries like “The Shadow Scholars” highlighted the hard work and diverse perspectives of these writers, the rapid advancement of AI tools is now threatening their livelihoods.